The north’s newspapers have joined forces in an “unprecedented show of unity” to call for Government action to fix its “broken” rail services.

More than 20 newspapers, including regional daily rivals the Manchester Evening News (Reach) and the Yorkshire Post (Johnston Press), have run the joint call for Prime Minister Theresa May to act.

The titles have been galvanised by a “period of unprecedented misery and upset” caused by the introduction of new train timetables on the Northern Rail network a fortnight ago, resulting in hundreds of delays and cancellations.